


A Glass Wall and a Purple Flower

by Phandiction



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Comfort, Cute, Dan Howell and Phil Lester Are Teenagers, Dan is a cry baby, Pastel Dan Howell, Plantboy Phil Lester, Plants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-12-17 10:37:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11849820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phandiction/pseuds/Phandiction
Summary: "Highschool AU where Dan is a pastel sensitive cry baby who is a selective mute. His only friend Pj is the one Dan talks to. Phil is socially anxious but slightly talkative person who gushes over most plants."





	A Glass Wall and a Purple Flower

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RatherBeSleepingHonestly](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=RatherBeSleepingHonestly).



** Dan’s POV **

 

Walls. Cement walls. Brick walls. Wood walls. Steel walls. People talked about having all sorts of “walls” that kept in their emotions, made them feel sane. Supposedly these walls helped them get through their everyday stressful, emotional days. These were all words of course. Whispered confessions from friend to friend as two shared a private, intense moment.

 

Dan didn’t have a wall. There was no invisible mental barrier that kept him from his feelings and after his sixteen years of life Dan was pretty certain that while everyone else’s feelings ran a soft stream of dull colors throughout their heart, his own feelings ran a luminous orange and glowing red. His emotions were always intense. There was no in between. There was no “wall” to buffer them or slow them down. No, his feelings rushed through him like a river. Dan had seen children play in a stream. He’d observed them joyfully take large rocks and stop up the water. They always had a proud smile on their face as they watched the water build up and up behind the rocks. But no one could block a rivers flow that easily. _Maybe I just have a glass wall_ , thought Dan as he wiped a tear from his soaked cheeks.

 

It was silly really; how easy it was for him to cry. It was as if he’d never emotionally passed the toddler level. The thought frustrated him, humiliated him and he furrowed his brows as if the expression would somehow make him look less like a baby and more like the man he was supposed to be turning into. The façade fell when he had to scrunch his nose and wipe the snot from his upper lip. He huffed in annoyance at himself and let his legs wall away from where they were tucked against his chest. He needed to stop this. What if his parents came in? At this point they probably wouldn’t even ask why he was crying, they’d seen it so many times and given up on asking. He never told them why he was crying because most of the time he didn’t know why himself! It infuriated them. _Why does it make them mad?_ Dan had always wondered.

 

He did know why he was crying right then, against his headboard in his favorite peaches and cream sweater. His younger brother had something snarky to him in the kitchen and that was it. Dan’s glass heart shattered and the floodgates opened. He’d at least managed to wait until he was half way up the stairs to his room before the tears really started falling. It wasn’t as if Adrian had meant to hurt him. He probably didn’t even mean the comment but it had been said and despite Dan knowing that his brother was still young, was still immature, there was a part of him that couldn’t help thinking, _but what if, what if what he said is true?_

 

Dan huffed again. His sobbing came to a stop and he wiped the final wetness from his face on the soft sweater. He got to his feet and stood in front of the full length mirror. He grabbed his phone from his pocket and put Fall Out Boy on shuffle. Instantly his body sagged in relief when the music echoed in his ears. Nothing made him feel sane again like the quick paced vibrations of “Grenade Jumper”.

 

He stared at his red eyes and nose in the reflection and groaned. Would he look normal by the time he got to school that day? Probably not. But it wasn’t as though his tendency to cry was unknown to his classmates and friends. They’d all seen tears slip down as cheek in History when they read about the time a city was demolished and everyone killed. Or when a group had gone to see a movie, a rather violent one in Dan’s perspective, and he’d of course cried. Dan’s parents had been worried about him in school. They expected him to be picked on and bullied. It turned out though that even the meanest bullies in school didn’t necessarily want to see their victims crying rivers on the floor of school hallway. It had a way of making the surrounding students defensive.

 

Just as Dan was finishing up straightening the last curl on his head his bedroom door burst open. He squeaked in surprise, dropping the straightener and yelping when it landed on his foot.

 

“Dan!” PJ squealed happily and embraced him giggling. Dan felt the tears well up in his eyes again as the throbbing pain worsened in his toe. PJ pulled away and his smile stopped. He looked down at where the straighter landed and gasped. “I’m sorry! Dan I’m sorry!” He pulled Dan into him as the tears fell yet again from his burning eyes. _There went any chance of looking normal in tie for school_ , Dan agonized.

 

“It’s okay.” Dan choked out.

 

PJ bent over and handed him the straightener gently, looking concerned. “I waited for you outside but you weren’t there so I thought I’d come in and see what was taking so long.”

 

Dan did not have many friends. He had plenty of acquaintances. That’s how he figured it. These acquaintances were those that endeavored speaking to him despite his lack of response, or those the defended him against the snark comments some made about his silence, those that sent him a kind smile as they passed in the hallway. Dan didn’t have enemies. But none of those people were like PJ. PJ was the only one that knew him, that had been to his and spent the night and more importantly, that Dan talked to. Maybe it was because they’d known each other since the first years of primary school. PJ had always been nice and calm and listened. He was so patient with Dan. He was his friend.

 

“Oh, yeah, sorry. I just…woke up late and then needed to straighten my hair. I’m ready now though. We can go.” His crying thankfully had stopped again.

 

 

** Phil’s POV **

 

“And some water here, and here. Oh, maybe a few more drops on you too.” Phil stood back and smiled brightly at the variety of green leaves and pottery before him. “There! You’re all taken care of. Oh! One more thing.” He rushed over to the other side of his room where one window was still covered. He pulled up the blinds, letting the sun stream in and illuminate the soft green walls of the room even more so. “Perfect.” Phil chirped.

 

“Phil?” His mother’s voice called from downstairs. Phil’s pale skin went even paler at his cheeks at her voice. Should he answer?

 

“Y-yes?” He called tentatively, knowing the response he’d get.

 

“Philip! What are you still doing here?! You’re going to be late for school!”

 

“It’s watering day mum! I’m leaving right now, I promise!” He shouted down at her. Which was kind of a lie because there was still one more thing he had to do. He grabbed a small wooden box from his desk and went over to one of his plants. It was one of his favorites and it was blooming magnificently. He couldn’t be prouder. Carefully he took one of the delicate lavender flowers and picked it from its stem. He’d been wanting to show some of his friends at school the beautiful coloring. Not to say they actually cared that much about Phil’s plants. Certainly not as much as him. But they cared about him and so they obliged him whenever he had a new leaf or flower to show them.

 

He tucked the box into the bottom of his backpack and ran out of the house, ignoring the lecture his mum was yelling at him as he burst through the front door.

 

 

“S-see guys?” Phil stuttered, holding open the small wooden box before Louise and Chris and tilting it so they could see the soft purple petals. “I told you how beautiful it was but you didn’t believe me did you? I told you how pretty it was and you didn’t think a house plant could be so pretty.”

 

“Yes Phil,” Louise roller her eyes, “It’s very pretty.”

 

“But isn’t it amazing?! Some people like the idea of a house plant but they don’t want one because they don’t just want something green, well this is the perfect solution!” Phil knew he was over excited and talking way too fast for anyone to properly understand what he was saying but he just _needed_ them to understand what he meant!

 

“Yes, that’s very true.” Chris agreed distractedly. Phil missed the uninterested tone in his voice though and his chest filled with warmth at the agreement.

 

“What are you looking at Chris?” Phil scrunched his eyebrows at his friend. Chris was looking skeptically at something over Phil’s shoulder.

 

“Oh, just that guy over there.” He nodded in the general direction. Phil spun around, trying to spot the person Chris was talking about.

 

“You mean Dan?” Louise interjected.

 

“Is that his name? Huh, I never knew. He’s just…different. He’s best friends with PJ which means he must at least be decent enough to hand out with. I always like PJ”s friends.”

 

“Why is he different? He looks normal to me.” Phil questioned, tilting his head and watching the soft curled, tanned skinned boy hurry down the hallways. His eyes darted back and forth throughout the hall a little nervously and Phil smiled. He’d never seen this boy before.

 

“He’s really shy. I think I’ve heard him speak maybe twice. But he’s so nice and adorable looking that the teachers don’t even care. They must think he’s abused at home or something. Either way, they never make him answer like they do the rest of the class. Oh, and he cries easily.”

 

“Isn’t that the truth.” Louise said before starting in the opposite direction down the hall. “Got to get to class boys.”

 

Phil followed the two but he kept looking over his shoulder at the doe eyes stranger. Something about just made Phil want to go up and give him a big hug. He looked so soft and squeezable in that big rosy sweater. And his eyes were just begging for someone to wrap their arms around him.

 

“Phil, you’re going to walk into a locker.” Chris snorted. “Come on.”

 

“O-oh. Sorry. Coming.”

 

 

Phil thought about the doe eyed boy, Dan, as Louise had called him, all day. He imagined himself embracing Dan, stroking his hair, telling him there was no need to look sad anymore. He tried to distract himself with the mauve flower but it only proved to send him into further day dream. Now he imagined placing the delicate flower behind the boy’s ears and making him giggle.

 

“Phil!”

 

Phil almost fell out of his chair when his name was called. He looked up, forgetting where he was for a moment. Chris was staring down him, eyes wide with question. “Y-yeah?”

 

“School is over. We need to go to the gym and help set up, remember?”

 

“R-right. I’m ready.”

 

“What is up with you today dude?” Phil didn’t really hear the question. He followed Chris blindly down to the gym.

 

“Do you think Dan will be there?”

 

Chris raised an eyebrow. “Who? You mean the crying kid? Uh, I don’t know. Why?”

 

“Just curious.” Phil tried to say nonchalantly.

 

“Right.”

 

In the gym, there was already a group of kids starting on the decorations. There was going to be a sports tournament of some sort. Phil didn’t remember what for. He was only here because his mother insisted on him helping with things like this. “Keeps you busy and out of trouble” was her exact words. Not that Phil ever got in trouble. He suspected it had more to do with her wanting more time alone. He wouldn’t have minded too much except today was watering day and he still had some plants to get to. _They’re waiting for me!_ Thought Phil. _Those plants know its watering day and that I’m not there yet!_

 

“Oh good, more help.” A teacher smiled at Phil and Chris from across the room. “Come over here boys.”

 

Phil could barely hear him. The music was turned so loudly he couldn’t hear himself think. It made him anxious, all the loud noise. He stuffed his hand sin his pockets, took them back out, squeezed his fingers. He looked around, trying to possible spot Dan. But he so evidence of a blush sweater. He sighed. It had been the one thing he was looking forward to by coming here.

 

Phil’s self-pitying was stopped when the teacher began instructing them. “Okay. So, Chris, if you could go help Carrie over there with the lights that would great.” Chris nodded and jogged across the court. “And Phil, we’re going to need more tape. Lots of it. Would you mind going to the supply closet and grabbing that?”

 

Phil nodded readily. He loved nothing more than the idea of getting out of this place. He spun on his heels and ran towards the open door leading to the halls. He’d forgotten to take off his backpack. The thing bounced annoyingly on his shoulder.

 

Outside of the gym the hallways were empty of any students. He smiled and pumped his legs faster, running as fast as he could toward the supply closet. He was just about turn a corner when a blur of a human walked from around it. Phil gasped, knowing he was going to collide directly into the person. He tried to stop but he sudden braking only caused him to catapult forward. He saw the wide eyes of…oh my gosh it was the boy! Dan! Dan’s eyes widened just as Phil’s chest knocked against the others. He heard the air get knocked out of the boy and in seconds they were both sprawled side by side on the tile.

 

Phil groaned. He’d landed on his elbows and knees and the flesh there stung. Beside him Dan moved and he forced himself to sit up. “Are-are you alright?” Phil stared down at the limp body. Dan had landed on his back and he moved his head back and forth. Had he hit his head? Phil was suddenly panicked. This is _not_ how he’d wanted to meet the stranger!

 

Dan moaned but started to get up.

 

“Did you hit your head? Oh my goodness I’m so sorry. I’m so, so, so sorry. I shouldn’t have been running that’s why it’s a rule isn’t it? Cause they don’t want people to get hurt like this and oh my goodness I’m an idiot!” Phil reached for Dan, helping him into a sitting position. The boy seemed disoriented. He gazed at his surroundings for a minute before meeting Phil’s eyes. “How do you feel? Does your head hurt?”

 

Dan didn’t respond. Instead the boy’s brown eyes watered over and before Phil knew it tears were spilling down his face. He felt his face pale with realization. HE must have really hurt him! He must have broken a bone or got a concussion!

 

“Oh dear, oh my.” Phil scooted to sit next to Dan and took his arm gently. “Does it hurt? Did I break it?”

 

Dan shook his head and a sob escaped his throat.

 

Phil checked the other arm and then reached for Dan’s head. The boy pulled away. “No, no. It’s okay. I’m just checking your head to make sure you aren’t bleeding.” Dan didn’t respond but he stopped pulling away and let Phil part his hair this way and that. “I-I don’t see anything. Why are you crying? What ese hurts? I’m so, so sorry.” Phil repeated. Guilt wracked at his insides. “I’ll take you to the nurse’s office okay? Maybe they’ll be able to help you.”

 

“No.” Dan mumbled.

 

Phil sighed in relief. “Good, you can at least talk. You scared me! Can you tell me what’s wrong now?”

 

Dan opened his mouth to answer but sobs escaped instead. He tried to talk through them but he sounded sad and pitiful. “I’m o-o-okay. You j-just scared me.”

 

The fact that Dan was crying because Phil had scared him rather than hurt him made Phil’s chest want to combust. He wrapped his arms around the boy and held him there. He’d been picturing himself in this moment all day. He’d imagine himself squeezing him tight but now that he was here the boy felt so fragile in his hands that he held him loosely. “I’m sorry. I’m a horrible person. I didn’t mean to. The gym was just so loud and I wanted to get out of there and so I was running and-”

 

“You came from the gym?” Dan seemed to perk up at that.

 

“Yeah? Why? Were you heading there? Is that why you were running too? Are you late?”

 

“Not late. Just liked the music.”

 

Phil pulled away slightly to look into Dan’s face. “You _like_ that music?”

 

A ever so small smile pulled at Dan’s lips. “Who doesn’t like Fall Out Boy?”

 

“Oh. I didn’t know who they were I just know it was really loud and there was a lot going on.”

 

“I like it.” Dan added and his smile grew a little wider this time. After just a few seconds though the smile disappeared and tears started falling down his already soaked cheeks again.

 

“No, no more crying!” Phil whined desperately. He already felt bad! “What’s wrong?”

 

“I don’t know!” Dan sobbed.

 

Phil pulled the boy against him again and rocked them back and forth there on the floor. “There, there. It’s okay.” He patted Dan’s head before realizing that maybe that was a little awkward. He moved his hand to his back. What could he do to stop this poor boys crying? Suddenly he got an idea. It sparked from his latest day dream. “Do you like flowers?”

 

“Flowers?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“How can you not know? Anyway, let me show you something. Hold on.”

 

Phil scrambled over the floor to his backpack and drug it over to them. Dan watched him with watery intrigued eyes as he unzipped it and dug around for the small wooden box. He took Dan’s hand, opened his palm and placed the box there.

 

“Open it.” Phil said with a grin. Dan looked at him cautiously. “It’s not a bug or anything. Just open it.” Dan held the box in one hand and slowly lifted the lid with the other. Phil watched his face for a reaction excitedly. When Dan finally lifted the lid his eyebrows went up in what Phil took as amazement. “See? Take it out, see how pretty it is.” Phil encouraged.

  
“Are you sure? It looks so…fragile.”

 

“Don’t worry. It’ll die soon anyway.”

 

Dan looked up at Phil in surprise. “Why?”

 

“Well, because I took off the plant. I wanted to bring it to school.”

 

“But now it’s going to die.” Dan said sadly as he removed the wilting flower from the box.

 

Dan’s POV

 

Dan couldn’t help the tinge of sadness he felt for the drying flower. He knew it didn’t have feelings but still.

 

“It’s okay, I promise. There’s lots more. I have lots of plants and flowers.” Phil said gleefully as Dan stroked the soft petals. Only then did Dan realize his crying had stopped. _Finally_ , he thought in relief, glad that for now he could push aside the embarrassment. This stranger had felt so guilty about making him fall and Dan had also made it worse with his insistent crying. He looked up at him and wiped his nose.

 

“What is your name?” Dan asked in a whisper. His voice was as shocked as his brain was at how easy it was to talk to this person. He just felt…comfortable with him. Maybe it was the kind face he had. Or the way Dan could tell he wasn’t being judging at all. His only concern was for the fact that he’d knocked Dan over and caused him to cry.

 

“Phil. And your Dan. I saw you earlier today…” Phil’s expression changed abruptly to shyness. “…and my friend Louise told me what your name was. That’s why I know.”

 

“Oh.” Dan cocked his head. “I think I’ve talked to her in class before.” Only then did Dan notice the wetness on Phil’s shirt. “I’m sorry. I cried all over your shirt.” He felt himself go red with embarrassment.

 

“Oh gosh, don’t worry about that. I’d rather it be my shirt and not yours. I really like your sweater.”

 

“Thanks.” Dan bushed. “It’s my favorite. I call it my peaches and cream sweater.” He smiled contently and Phil giggled. The two were silent were a few seconds. Dan fiddled with the flower and Phil wrung his hands nervously. Suddenly he leapt to his feet.

 

“I have an idea, would you want to come see my plants?” Dan looked up at him uncertainly. “You would love it. If you think this one flower is pretty then wait till you see my garden! Oh my goodness Dan you would love it so much.”

 

“Su-sure. When?” Dan said nervously. He’d never been to someone else’s house. No one besides PJ that was. But Phil was nice and Dan felt good and happy with him.

 

“Now!” Phil exclaimed.

 

“Now?”

 

“Why not? School’s over, lets go! I don’t live far from here. And it’s a good way for me to make it up to. You know, for knocking you over.” Phil giggled and helped Dan to his feet. Dan gingerly put the flower back into the box and closed the lid. He handed it back to Phil but his new friend shook his head.“ You can keep it. The box too.”  


“Oh my. Thank you.” Dan felt as though he’d been given a gold leaf. He knew he was privileged to be given this beautiful gift and would most certainly treasure it. “And then maybe I can show you some Fall Out Boy songs that won’t make you run from the room.” It wasn’t really a joke but when Phil laughed heartedly Dan smiled. Had he really just made someone laugh like that? Phil’s laugh was so nice to listen to. He wondered if he could be the cause of it again.

 

“Now let’s go!” Phil took Dan’s hand in his. “You’ll never want to cry again when you see my beautiful garden.”

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt given to me by ratherbesleepinghonestly.tumblr.com : "Highschool AU where Dan is a pastel sensitive cry baby who is a selective mute. His only friend Pj is the one Dan talks to. Phil is socially anxious but slightly talkative person who gushes over most plants. Dan is sitting in the hallway when he hears Fall Out Boy from the gym and without thinking he dashes over. Dan runs head-on into Phil and it makes Dan cry. Phil awkwardly comforts him."
> 
> I got seriously into these characters. Thank you so much for the prompt, I thoroughly enjoyed writing it! I actually kind of forgot it was just a one-shot and was going to just keep going so hopefully the ending isn't too abrupt. Send me prompts!! phandictioned.tumblr.com


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